Systems and Methods for Pneumatic Pressure Haptic Controllers

Abstract

Systems and methods for pneumatic pressure haptic controllers are disclosed. One disclosed system for includes: a controller; an impeller motor coupled to the controller; and a processor coupled to the impeller motor and configured to: receive a controller signal; determine a haptic signal based in part on the controller signal; and output the haptic signal to the impeller motor to output a haptic effect.

1 . A system comprising:
 a controller;   an impeller motor coupled to the controller, the impeller motor configured to be removed and reattached to the controller; and   a processor coupled to the impeller motor and configured to:
 receive a controller signal; 
 determine a haptic signal based in part on the controller signal; and 
 output the haptic signal to the impeller motor to output a haptic effect. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a location sensor, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine the haptic signal based in part on data received from the location sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a user interface device for a virtual reality system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor receives the controller signal from the virtual reality system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller motor comprises a plurality of impeller motors. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the impeller motors is configured to be removed and reattached to the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a location of each of the impeller motors and determine the haptic signal based in part on the location of each of the impeller motors. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the impeller motors is magnetically coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 receiving a controller signal by a controller;   determining a haptic signal based in part on the controller signal; and   outputting the haptic signal to an impeller motor to output a haptic effect, the impeller motor coupled to a controller and configured to be removed and reattached to the controller.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, determining the haptic signal based in part on data received from a location sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the impeller motor is coupled to a controller comprising a user interface device for a virtual reality system. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controller signal is received from the virtual reality system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the impeller motor comprises a plurality of impeller motors. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the impeller motors is configured to be removed and reattached to a controller. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining a location of each of the impeller motors; and   determining the haptic signal based in part on the location of each of the impeller motors.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the impeller motors is magnetically coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code, which when executed by a processor is configured to cause the processor to:
 receive a controller signal;   determine a haptic signal based in part on the controller signal; and   output the haptic signal to an impeller motor to output a haptic effect, the impeller motor coupled to a controller and configured to be removed and reattached to the controller.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium  claim 17 , further comprising program code, which when executed by the processor is configured to cause the processor to determine the haptic signal based in part on data received from a location sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium  claim 17 , wherein the impeller motor is coupled to a controller comprising a user interface device for a virtual reality system. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium  claim 19 , wherein the impeller motor is configured to be removed and reattached to the controller.